Description
Book SynopsisHuman beings have always moved for what they need until recently. We know how a lack of movement impacts our bodies but how does culture-wide sedentarism impact the world?
Movement Matters is a Foreword Indies GOLD-winning collection of essays, in which biomechanist Katy Bowman continues her groundbreaking presentation on the interconnectedness of nature, human movement, and the environment.
Here Bowman widens the “there is more to movement than exercise” message she presented in Move Your DNA and invites us to consider this idea: human movement is a part of the ecosystem.
Movement Matters explores how we make ourselves, our communities, and our planet healthier all at the same time by moving our bodies more as well as:
- how did we become so sedentary? Where did all the movement go? (Hint: convenience often saves us movement, not time.)
- the missing “movement nutrients” in our food
- how to include more nature in education
- why ecosystem models need to include human movement
- the human need for “Vitamin Community” and group movement.
Unapologetically direct, often hilarious, and always compassionate, Movement Matters demonstrates that human movement is powerful and important, and that going beyond exercise and living a movement-filled life is perhaps the most joyful and efficient way to transform your body, community, and world. A must read for exercise teachers, environmentalists, and those wanting simple, accessible ways to take action for a better world.
Trade Review“Movement Matters is a delight to read and will help every family. Its implications extend far beyond our individual lives.”—Richard Louv, author of Last Child in the Woods and Vitamin N
"Tying together ecological sustainability and modern lifestyles, this book focuses on the science of moving in healthy ways as a means of healing both the earth and the individual. Its heavy emphasis on healthy living generates a necessary bridge between personal well-being and the well-being of the whole environment, and is yet another strong voice in the general call for more active, mindful lifestyle choices. Bowman, a biomechanist, does a fine job communicating the hidden significance of everyday acts, such as walking, sitting, and buying prepared food, in digestible sound bites. This is no dense academic treatise; it is written specifically to appeal to the average person, actively acknowledging commonly asked questions about activity and exercise. Movement Matters is a continuation in a popular trend toward a holistic approach to health and ecology. Ideal for nutritionists, fitness experts, and anyone seeking an all-around healthier lifestyle."—Foreword Reviews
"This book is for thinkers...A gem for the modern yoga teacher."—Shut Up & Yoga
"In Movement Matters you’ll find radical new clarity on how to fulfill [your role in the ecosystem] in a meaningful way. Do not expect a list of exercises or go-to movements. Expect to shift your perspective. Don’t expect an easy read. Expect an engrossing one, one that will leave you not only a better “mover,” but a better human animal."—Breaking Muscle
"With Movement Matters, Katy Bowman has produced a thoughtful—and radical—treatise that is a must-read for those interested in their personal health…and the health of the body politic and planet. A stellar read."—Rose Hayden-Smith, author of Sowing the Seeds of Victory: American Gardening Programs of World War I
"Everyone should read this book."—Paleo Magazine
"I’ve spent almost twenty years talking to people about food and specifically why good food matters. I’ve made my case using biology and ecology, talking about our hunter-gatherer past. What I missed is all the movement that went into not just our food but also our lives. This is why movement matters—and fortunately for you, Katy Bowman has tackled this topic in a way that has never been done before."—Robb Wolf, author of The Paleo Solution
"Perfect for the person who can’t sit still!"—National Outdoor Leadership School, from their list of “10 Favorite Books About Leadership By Women”
Katy Bowman is one of the world’s leading experts on the ecology of human movement. She offers a timely and fascinating collection of essays that are designed to inspire a movement-based lifestyle—essential for our long-term survival as adaptive humans. A must-read for anyone who cares about their health."—Angela Hanscom, author of Balanced and Barefoot
"What a breath of fresh air! Katy Bowman, like her books, oozes originality and intelligence. In Movement Matters, she makes readers see how movement isn’t something you do—it’s something you are…The world, the fitness industry, and those of you at home aspiring for well-being will really benefit from Katy’s life-enhancing information."—Ellen Barrett, author of The 28 Days Lighter Diet
"[Bowman’s] insights are empowering and enlightening."—Erwan Le Corre, founder of MovNat, author of The Practice of Natural Movement
"This gorgeous book opens the door to a new way of thinking and being. Katy teaches us how each movement, no matter how small it may seem, matters. You can’t help but want to become more active in every aspect of your life."—Kristin Meekhof, author of A Widow’s Guide to Healing
"One of the unfortunate side effects of living in complex, modern societies is the distance we create from the natural world, leading us to forget how to live better with less and by keeping active. In her quest to resurrect this lost knowledge, Katy Bowman provides us with a survival roadmap to reclaim personal quality of life and a sustainable future for all. A must-read for anyone interested in living a happy, productive life on a habitable planet."—Jason Lewis, author of The Expedition series
"In Movement Matters, Katy Bowman has taken a large and complex topic and made it more than just fathomable—the essays are an enjoyable exploration of movement and other features of human health viewed from a unique perspective."—Arthur Haines, author of A New Path
Table of ContentsForeword
Introduction
Movement: Outsourced
Science Moves
Muscle: A Simple Model
Expand Your Muscle Model
You’re More Than (Two of) Your Parts
Proof
Putting All Your Eggs in One Comment Basket
Don’t Be a Stupid
Sometimes Science Is Sedentary
Dear Katy
Nature Moves
Analogous
Thigmomorphogenesis
Shaped by the Trees
First Hike
Tree Bones
A Matter of Perspective
Wet Bones
Myopic
You Speak How You Are
Outdoor School
Dear Katy
Food Moves
Must Work for Food
Those Other Nutrients
Mammals Suck
Forage
Kitchen Movement
A Sedentary Culture Eats
Movement as a Commodity
Dear Katy
Just Move
Part-Minded
Stack Your Life
Maximalism
Nutrient Dense
Geese, or Movement Ecology
Natural Movement Is Efficient
Natural Movement Is Joyful
Movement is Counter-Culture
Movement is Not Medicine
Vitamin Community
Personal Mission Statement
Elderberry
Dear Katy
Afterword and Acknowledgments
Appendices
Appendix 1: Nature in Education
Appendix 2: Foraging
Appendix 3: Breastfeeding
Index
About the Author
